Now that Dramafever is no longer, I’ll be watching this show on Viki.com and, since they aren’t turning episodes around as quickly as Dramafever was, there may be a two or three day delay for me to post the recaps for the week, but I’ll keep posting as soon as they are finished.
This week: Lang Tian bites the hand that fed him…and takes her powers, my favourite Tiger finally returns, Lin Dong reunites with his sister, some characters get killed off, and we travel to the Demon Domain and meet a bunch of new characters including Lin Diao’s family and future wife. So let’s start week 2 of Martial Universe!
WARNING! DO NOT OPEN FOR SPOILERS!
Series Information:
Chinese Title:武动乾坤
Episodes: 20
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Broadcast Source: Dragon TV (Oriental TV), Youku
Airing Schedule: 1 Episode a day, Mon – Fri via Dragon TV (Oriental TV)
Current Progress: 07/20 (Season 2)
Zhang Tian’ai as Ying Huan Huan
Wang Li Kun as Ling Qing Zhu
Wu Chun as Lin Lang Tian
Lin Xiao (Lin Dong’s father)
Lin Qing Tan (Lin Dong’s adopted sister)
Lin Mu (Chief of the Lin Clan)
Ling Zhen
Yuan Cang
Xuan Su
Su Rou
Ling Su Su (Ling Qing Zhu’s mother)
Ying Xuan Zi (Sect Leader)
Wu Dao
Zhou Tong
Martial Arts Hall Elder
Xiao Yan (a.k.a Fire Python Tiger)
Sixth Yimo Prince (aka The Guardian)
Huangfu Jing, Mo Ling’s bodyguard
Mo Ling, Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty
Wu Dao rushes Lin Dong over to see Huan Huan before she turns into the Ice Master, but there is an ice barrier blocking the entrance. Lin Dong throws himself at it, but nothing happens. Finally he runs at it headlong and is able to bust through, but inside Huan Huan is encased in more ice and surrounded by candles. Lin Dong calls out to her, pounding on her icy cocoon as a satisfied Wu Dao watches. He’s trying to break it or get her attention, but fails. Lin Dong hears her father’s voice reminding him that the Yimo are here and that the Ice Master is needed to help save them. But Lin Dong just wants his girlfriend back. Since breaking the ice isn’t working, he brings out the Devour Talisman and uses it to shatter the ice surrounding Huan Huan. Though the ice is now broken, she still seems to be in a trance. Lin Dong crawls over to her. (So did breaking the ice break his legs??) He manages to get up to the platform where she is sitting and grabs a hold of her which wakes her up. Then he pulls her over to him and kisses her. He asks her if what he did is what she wanted and she agrees. But her father has told her that the Ice Master is the most important of all the Talisman Masters and the most needed so she’s worried, but he assures her that it’s his job to kill the Yimos and that what he most needs is her.
The two of them try leaving Sky Hall, with Huan Huan being a really bad seeing eye guide, but Wu Dao and the disciples find them. Lin Dong and Huan Huan apologize and beg Wu Dao to let them go, but he doesn’t say anything, just walks away. The couple then walk hand in hand through the group of disciples in the doorway. Wu Dao watches as they leave and no one stops them. Once they’ve gone, Wu Dao gets upset and smashes his forehead against a wall. He rushes to the Sect Leader and claims Lin Dong hurt him and took Huan Huan away. But the Leader tells him just to let them go. Wu Dao is frustrated by this response, but the Sect Leader believes everything is fated and that they know what they need to do.
The couple, now back into their regular red clothes, are deciding where to go. Lin Dong wants to go back to the Burning Sky Tomb and she agrees.
At Taiqing Palace, Qing Zhu’s mother goes to talk to her as she stares out over the waterfall. She tells her mom that she found some traces of her father and feels that he was a righteous man. Knowing that she has to go protect Lin Dong, her mother sends her off. But as she is walking through the halls, Yuan Cang from the Yuan Gate sect grabs Qing Zhu. She asks him if something is wrong at Yuan Gate and he confirms what she feared. He says that since Mu Qian Qian has been focused on Lang Tian and going with him to find the talismans, he’s seen signs that make him think they are colluding with the Yimo. He’s noticed Lang Tian has been breathing strangely since the tomb incident and that he suddenly disappeared and Elder Mu also went into seclusion. He worries the sect is in danger, but no one else believes him. She tells him to go back and that she will look into things.
Lin Diao and Xiao Yan meet with Qing Zhu in the woods. Lin Diao thinks this may be a trap, but says he’s also suspected Mu Qian Qian is bad. Xiao Yan, though, is worried about Lin Dong, but the other two don’t want to disturb him since he’s got his own problems. Lin Diao volunteers to go to Yuan Gate to check things out as he feels he has a better chance of sneaking in than the other two. When he leaves, Qing Zhu tells Xiao Yan she has a job for him.
Back in the Tomb, Lin Dong goes to where he got the Fierce Sky Halberd, certain the Chaos/Prehistoric Talisman is there. Suddenly some gold armour comes out of the hole and calls to him. When Lin Dong tells him he can’t see, the armour insists that he can as long as his heart wants to see. Lin Dong takes off his mask and the armour shoots something at his eyes. They start to glow the same way they did when he sacrificed them, but now his eyes have returned and he can see again. He starts laughing, happy that he’ll be able to see Huan Huan again. But the armour chides him for being late. Lin Dong guesses that he is the Chaos Talisman master and the master tells him that the talisman was already taken so he can only give him the Gold-Purple Armour and warns him that he needs to keep the talisman from the Yimo. Lin Dong realises that Mu Qian Qian is most likely the one who got the Talisman. He asks who can wear the armour when suddenly the one who can wear it arrives.
A cute, fuzzy Little Marten runs around Yuan Gate as the Yimo Emperor and Mu Qian Qian talk. They are close to finding the Emperor’s body and he asks how long before she gets all the Talismans. She tells him that she lost a lot of Yuan Energy fighting the swarm of demons and that because the remnants of the Talisman masters are appearing very quickly and are very strong, she needs more time. She knows that it won’t be long before her identity is exposed.
Lin Diao, ever the classy one, pees on one of the walls in Yuan Gate before sneaking around. He recognizes Mu Qian Qian’s smell and enters her chambers cautiously. He looks around the room and then sees a mirror. As he does, the Yimo Emperor warns Mu Qian Qian that she has a visitor. Intrigued by the mirror, Lin Diao looks at it more closely and ends up falling through it and sees the Yimo Emperor. He tries to run away, but Mu Qian Qian catches him. She tries to get the Talisman from him, but he changes form and runs into the water and out of reach.
Xiao Yan brings Lin Dong and Huan Huan to Qing Zhu, telling her that Lin Dong has his sight back. Huan Huan immediately lets go of Lin Dong’s hand when she sees her looking at them. Lin Diao has still not returned and they worry that he’s been caught. Lin Dong comes up with an idea.
Qing Zhu goes to Yuan Gate to see Yuan Cang even though he hasn’t yet called for her. She tells him that the person she sent to investigate has disappeared. Warning her that she may be in danger, Yuan Cang promises to protect her. But then a door closes behind them and Ling Zhen appears, wanting to know what they are up to, teasing that the two are going to get married.
Huan Huan and Lin Dong worry after Qing Zhu doesn’t return. Xiao Yan wonders if the swarm of demons at the Tomb was Mu Qian Qian’s doing and that maybe Lang Tian was innocent, but Lin Dong says they have to catch her first before they can confirm, though he worries that he may have accused Lang Tian in error.
Qing Zhu suddenly comes running up to them, telling them she was injured by Ling Zhen and that Mu Qian Qian has Lin Diao. They start following her back to Yuan Gate, but Lin Dong asks her to stop. Realising that Qing Zhu is missing the hairpin he gave her, he tries to punch her, but she spins away and he knows she’s Mu Qian Qian in disguise. She reverts back to her Mu Qian Qian form and locks Huan Huan and Xiao Yan behind a force field. Lin Dong goes chasing after her as she turns into purple smoke.
Back at Yuan Gate, Ling Zhen is attacking Qing Zhu while Yuan Cang tries to defend her. When Yuan Cang tells him that Mu Qian Qian is colluding with the Yimo, Ling Zhen refuses to believe it, accusing him of siding with outsiders. Yuan Cang tells Qing Zhu to go get Lin Dong as he holds back Ling Zhen. They two of them fight until Ling Zhen stabs him. Yuan Cang then uses his powers to throw Ling Zhen into a pillar and both men appear to die.
Lin Dong is still chasing the purple smoke when it disappears. Then he sees Lang Tian appear, his hands covered in blood, telling him that if he’d listened to him, he wouldn’t have ended up this way. Lin Dong, overcome by guilt, passes out and Lang Tian turns back into Mu Qian Qian who uses the Chaos Talisman on him to start covering him in vines.
Qing Zhu is running through the woods to find Lin Dong while Xiao Yan, suddenly with a pair of fiery wings, flies overhead. Mu Qian Qian sees the Tiger and starts to run, the magical vines now reaching up into the sky to catch Xiao Yan. But he is able to follow the purple smoke and dodge the vines (because he’s awesome!) as Qing Zhu and Huan Huan try to revive Lin Dong.
Mu Qian Qian, reforms on a cloud and realises Xiao Yan is wearing the Purple-Gold Armour, but doesn’t take him seriously as a talisman master, not feeling he’s good enough for the honour. He gets caught by the vines, so Lin Dong tries using his powers to set him free with Qing Zhu helping. Bursting free and with renewed energy, Xiao Yan chases after the Yimo to steal back the Talisman. He hits her with a blast and shoots her down into the woods and follows after her. When he lands, he finds remnants of purple smoke and two stones, one of which is the Chaos Talisman. Now that he has the Chaos Talisman, the armour appears in full (with some new sideburns) and everyone is impressed by it. When they ask about Mu Qian Qian, he shows them the other stone and asks if he destroyed the talisman while Qing Zhu wonders if it’s the fallen spirit of Mu Qian Qian. When Xiao Yan tries to give him the Chaos Talisman, Lin Dong instead tells him he is it’s master so it is his to keep. Certain that Mu Qian Qian is dead, they wonder how to find Lin Diao, but Xiao Yan reminds them he’ll be able to find his friend’s scent.
In Yuan Gate, the crew go into Mu Qian Qian’s room. Huan Huan checks herself out in the mirror and notices an odd smell. Yuan Cang arrives and tells them he hurt Ling Zhen and Qing Zhu tells him that she was an Yimo. Xiao Yan recognizes Lin Diao’s smell and, when Lin Dong touches the mirror, he falls through, followed by Xiao Yan. They find Lin Diao laying on the edge of the water and revive him as the rest of their group comes through the mirror while Yuan Cang stays behind to stand guard.
Lin Diao tells them the Yimo Emperor is in the water, but they see nothing. Xiao Yan notices that if you touch the water, your yuan energy gets absorbed by it. Huan Huan suggests they mess with the water to get the Emperor to appear, so Lin Dong starts absorbing energy from the water. A whirlpool appears as he does so and they see black smoke appear. Suddenly Mu Qian Qian’s fallen spirit gets pulled from Xiao Yan. As they watch it float across the water, suddenly a shirtless Lang Tian appears and grabs hold of it. (Going to take a moment here to appreciate the view. Even if you aren’t watching the show, you might want to at least jump to 39:40 and take a look.) Huan Huan warns Lin Dong that his friend is now an Yimo, but he’s certain that it’s just Mu Qian Qian controlling him. He tries to tell him that they can help him, but Lang Tian is determined to use his new powers to eat up all the Yimo, and proceeds to absorb Elder Mu’s spirit into his own body. Having decided to become an Yimo so that he can be the most powerful being in the world, he demands that they give him their talismans. Suddenly the five are wrapped in black smoke, being pulled to Lang Tian as he brags about having taken out the Yimo Emperor. He drops them in the water which turns out to be ankle deep. (Really, all this time?!?!? Then how was there a whirlpool or anyone hiding in there or…whatever. And why isn’t their energy all immediately absorbed. And why am I even expecting logic here?)
Suddenly Yuan Cang appears and takes a hold of Lang Tian. He tells Qing Zhu to go and the five start running. Lang Tian is able to get Yuan Cang off of him and uses his powers to beat him up, asking him why he’s even trying. But it turns out Yuan Cang has a surprise of his own. He laughs as a beam of light starts to appear from his body which seems to blind Lang Tian.
Back in Mu Qian Qian’s room, Lin Dong runs to the door, but stops as he hears Yuan Gate Disciples looking for a killer.
Back in Mu Qian Qian’s room, Lin Dong runs to the door, but stops, as does everyone else, as they hear the members of Yuan Gate who are looking for Lin Dong and calling him a murderer. Lin Dong tells Qing Zhu that they can’t let Yuan Cang’s efforts be in vain.
Back in the woods, they have somehow escaped and are on the run, with Yuan Gate chasing after them. Qing Zhu tells Lin Dong to take Huan Huan and escape and that she will hold off Yuan Gate, but Lin Dong doesn’t want a woman staying behind for him. Lin Diao insists he will stay with her and Lin Dong and Huan Huan run off, leaving Qing Zhu and the beasts behind to face off with Yuan Gate. Huan Huan stops Lin Dong, asking him where they are going and he tells her there is only one place they can go.
At Yuan Gate, Lang Tian has arrived to talk to the Sect Teachers and accuses Lin Dong of killing Elder Mu, Ling Zhen and Yuan Cang. With no one to lead the sect and the other two sects harbouring criminals, he asks them to come out of seclusion and save Yuan Gate, supported by the disciples. The Teachers are inside the main hall, but don’t say anything in response to him, all three appearing to be deep asleep. He criticizes them for not acting and says Yuan Gate needs to change to a new vision. Gathering up a ball of energy, he blasts the Teachers and absorbs their Yuan Energy and they slump over, but he seems surprised by something. He remembers Mu Qian Qian telling him that the 7th Prince inside him can’t be eliminated without an ancestral talisman. He pulls her fallen spirit from his body and throws it to the ground, making her reappear, though she’s now weak.
He congratulates her for making the Yuan Gate sect her puppets as we realise that the Teachers have been under her control the whole time. She tells him she prepared all this for him so that he could take over the sect anytime. She reminds him that she was the only one good to him and that she wants to be with him forever and help him overthrow the Yimo Emperor (Wait, didn’t he say he already had overthrown him? Or was it a bad translation?), but he reminds her that he’s a very selfish person who doesn’t like to share. She realises he is no longer her puppet. He thanks her for making him who he is, certain he’s now strong enough to kill the Yimo Emperor. Then he suddenly turns solemn, asking her to help him one more time and she cries out, knowing what he’s going to ask. He hugs her and then blasts her with his Talisman powers, killing her and taking her Yuan Energy.
Lang Tian exits the main hall to face the crowd of disciples and tells them the Teachers have appointed him as the Deacon Elder and asks if they have any objections, but they all accept him. He then blames everything on Lin Dong and vows to capture him with the crowd chanting, “Capture Lin Dong!”
Back at the Talisman Guild, Xuan Su reminds Master Yan that it’s been months since they heard from Lin Dong and she’s worried, but Master Yan doesn’t seem concerned by the news. But after Xuan Su leaves, we see he is more concerned than he let on.
Lin Dong has brought Huan Huan back to Dao Sect as Wu Dao chastises them. Lin Dong asks to see the Sect Leader, but he tells them that he’s gone into seclusion. They want to tell him what happened, but Wu Dao says he already knows and they should hurry and leave. But then the Sect Leader calls out to let them in.
Huan Huan apologizes to her father for running away and bringing him trouble, and he asks what happened. She tells him they killed Mu Qian Qian, but he knows she was an Yimo and when Huan Huan tells him that Yuan Gate didn’t know that, he reminds her there’s no point in telling them. As he wonders how to punish them, Lin Dong advises that he found traces of the Yimo Emperor, but he already is well aware. Lin Dong offers to take any punishment, but the Leader is angry because now there’s no way Huan Huan can become the Ice Master. But then, feeling this is heaven’s will, he tells them they can’t stay there.
Unfortunately, it’s too late as Yuan Gate has arrived. Lin Dong immediately starts to run out, but Huan Huan and the Sect Leader stop him. He warns Lin Dong that he can’t meddle, no matter what he hears, and that he must leave. Lang Tian enters to ask them to hand over Lin Dong, but the Sect Leader denies his request, saying he’ll investigate the matter himself since it concerns his disciple. Lang Tian doesn’t think he’ll be fair about it and tells him again to hand Lin Dong over to preserve the goodwill between their sects. Reminding him of the disciples he lost at the Tomb, he tells him that if Lin Dong doesn’t admit his mistakes, then he can’t guarantee the Dao Sect will still be standing by morning. Lin Dong accuses Lang Tian of representing himself and not the Teachers, and the Sect Leader gets mad at him for meddling exactly like he told him not to do. But Lin Dong knows this is a personal vendetta and not anything to do with either sect. He thanks the Sect Leader and volunteers to leave the sect. As he leaves, Lang Tian pulls out his sword and follows him out. Huan Huan reminds her father that he failed to stand up against Yuan Gate before and tries to get him to act this time. Wu Dao, though, is pleased by the result.
As Lang Tian walks Lin Dong out of Dao Sect, the Sect Leader grabs a sword and runs after them. Outside he comes up from behind and stands between Lang Tian and Lin Dong. When Lin Dong tries to stop him, he reminds him that he didn’t agree he could leave the sect and that he’s still his master. Lin Dong, seeing Lang Tian threaten his master, asks that he let them part ways while Huan Huan tries to get him to leave. He finally runs off while Lang Tian and the Sect Leader start to fight. When Lang Tian accuses Dao Sect of harbouring criminals, Xuan Zi says that he doesn’t mind being enemies with a sect that colludes with the Yimo. Lang Tian can’t resist bragging about how great he will become and how he will teach him a lesson before finally leaving. Xuan Zi knows that trouble will be coming.
Huan Huan looks at Wu Dao and then leaves without saying a word and he goes back to his usually habit of rubbing his sword hilt. Back in her room, Huan Huan is upset. She gets a message from Lin Dong that he is going to talk to Master Yan. She gets a bag and starts to head out herself, but then stops to talk to her father who tells her that Yuan Gate has reported Lin Dong as a criminal and asked for an arrest decree, accusing him of colluding with the Yimo and killing three of their members. He tells her to find Lin Dong and escape far away. She kowtows to her father who then gives her some money to help her out.
Lin Dong, Xiao Yan and Lin Diao are back together again (such a cute Chinese Three Musketeers vibe) and return to the Talisman Guild as Huan Huan sets off through the snow to find her boyfriend. Lin Dong sees guards waiting outside the Qiwu Tower and they avoid going in. As they walk through town, Huan Huan finds them, commenting that with the guards outside, the Tower must be empty. Lin Dong is surprised, but happy to see her. When he tries to get a hug, she starts to get upset, but finally runs to hug him while the beasties impatiently wait for them. Huan Huan chides him for not taking care of himself or even shaving, but since he is no longer a Guild President or a hero, he doesn’t really care. Seeing how much Huan Huan still cares about him now makes Lin Dong all emotional. Finally he decides that they will go to Qingyang Town, Lin Dong’s hometown.
At Taiqing Palace, Qing Zhu begs the Palace Mistress to let her leave, but she refuses. Qing Zhu wants to fulfill her role as the Talisman Envoy, but the Palace Mistress knows that their sect is the weakest and that Yuan Gate have been looking for any excuse to take over, so she can’t risk the entire sect for one person.
That night, Lin Diao and Xiao Yan sleep in Lin Dong’s childhood home as Huan Huan laughs at their low tolerance and Lin Dong sits on the roof, drinking. He feels bad for Lang Tian, understanding how much it sucks to be falsely accused and not sure what to do next. When Huan Huan tries to get him to stop drinking, he tells her that he finally understands why his dad drank so much and then finishes off the bottle he has to make his problems disappear. Huan Huan swaps the bottle out with a new one as Lin Dong passes out and turns to see Master Yan, who gestures to her to go with him.
Inside, Master Yan asks why she isn’t smiling and she catches him up on the latest news. Huan Huan is hoping that he is there to help, but he says that he is only there to deliver a message. If Lin Dong kills the Yimo Emperor, then all the other issues will be cleared up without him having to do anything. Huan Huan is annoyed by this message and also by him telling her that Lin Dong will have to work out all this stuff himself.
On the rooftop, Lin Dong is having a nightmare about Huan Huan being attacked by Lang Tian. He wakes up and goes inside to hug her. Then he sees Master Yan is there and promises him that he will eliminate all the Yimo and protect the people he cares about. Huan Huan promises to stick with him and Master Yan is all jealous of them being so sweet to each other.
After getting some wine, Master Yan tells them that Xuan Su and some of the guild disciples went to gather intel. The Demon Domain is being affected by a lot of yuan energy and he’s afraid the Chaotic Sea of Demons will soon be unsealed. Lin Dong is certain it’s Lang Tian and Master Yan tells him that they need to find the talisman needed for that region, but it will be even more dangerous to get.
Lin Dong sees the sleeping Beasts and wakes them up, telling them it’s time to go. Lin Diao is excited to hear that they will be going to the Demon Domain, his former home, and tells Xiao Yan that they will find him a wife. But then a disciple from Dao Sect appears, badly injured, and tells Huan Huan that Yuan Gate attacked Dao Sect and that her father has been injured, as well as Wu Dao.
Lin Dong sends Lin Diao and Xiao Yan to find the road to the Demon Domain while he and Huan Huan go back to Dao Sect to see what has happened. At Dao Sect they find the wounded Wu Dao and many bodies. They run up the stairs while Wu Dao watches and smiles.
Inside, Lin Dong and Huan Huan search the hall until Huan Huan finds her father, but he pulls his sword and orders her to leave. Instead she calls for Lin Dong. The Sect Leader tells them both to leave, so they slowly back up, but Wu Dao grabs Huan Huan and Lin Dong realises that he has been working with the Yimo. Wu Dao blames the Sect Leader for never considering him for the council and never giving him a chance to prove himself or to be able to win over Huan Huan. Xuan Zi tries to attack Wu Dao, but is zapped by someone.
Lang Tian appears via a portal from the Space Talisman, amused to watch the love triangle unfold. Wu Dao reminds Lang Tian that they had a deal that Lang Tian would take Lin Dong, but he would get to keep Huan Huan. She struggles against him as he confesses how much he likes her. Lang Tian suggests instead that he kill Lin Dong. Lin Dong offers to give him the talisman, but Lang Tian doesn’t want it. Instead he wants to pay him back for falsely accusing him and not believing him and breaking his yuan pellet. He tells Lin Dong that because of that, Mu Qian Qian turned him into an Yimo. Still angry about it, he blames Lin Dong. Lin Dong agrees he did accuse him wrongly and tells him to kill him, but knowing that won’t return him to his original state, Lang Tian would rather destroy something more precious to him. Then he kills Xuan Zi, taking his yuan pellet, as Huan Huan screams and Lin Dong tells him to kill him instead. Lang Tian tells him that since he didn’t kill him when he asked him to, he has to return the favour. Besides he’d rather break Lin Dong’s heart instead. Lang Tian then points out to Wu Dao that the woman he loves is already married to someone else and that he should end this pain. Wu Dao gets upset as that was not the deal he originally made, but Lang Tian tells him he has to kill Huan Huan. Wu Dao instead tries to attack Lang Tian, but gets killed. Satisfied that he’s destroyed everything for Lin Dong, Lang Tian leaves.
Wu Dao tries to say some final words to Huan Huan, but she would rather check on her father. She hugs his body, insisting that he’ll be fine and she’ll heal him, but he tells her that Dao Sect only has her now and that she’ll need to part ways with Lin Dong and she agrees to. With that said, her father dies. She holds him, promising to be obedient from now on as long as he won’t leave her.
Later, Lin Dong is walking through the woods and finds Huan Huan. Before he can say anything, Huan Huan says they should have known that their love could not withstand fate and that there’s no other way. Lin Dong can only let her walk away, unable to think of anything to say.
Huan Huan announces that she is now Sect Leader. She warns that the Yimo are coming and tells the sect members that she’ll continue cultivating as the Ice Master to fulfill her father’s last wish, leaving the four hall leaders to manage the sect for a couple days as she goes into seclusion. (Aw, more soap bubble snow.)
As she goes inside, Lin Dong runs after her, telling her that their different paths will eventually meet since they have the same goal and asks her to give him more time. He pulls out the magic mirror and reminds her that it has shown that they’ll be together. She takes a hold of the mirror to look in it, smiling at the image, and then throws it away. As Lin Dong tries to get it back, she blasts it and it falls to the ground and shatters.
Master Yan and the Beasts watch Lin Dong coming down from Dao Sect, carrying the pieces of broken mirror. Master Yan assures him that they will meet again to try to make him feel better. Knowing that Lang Tian has a new yuan pellet, they set out.
The Yimo Emperor is angry that he was close to finding his body, but can’t now that Mu Qian Qian is no more. The Sixth Yimo Prince makes excuses for why he didn’t save her or get any talismans because they are too united. Then Lang Tian appears and agrees with the Sixth Prince that unity is a great weapon for the humans, but also a weakness. The Sixth Prince tells the Emperor not to listen to him because he was the one who killed Mu Qian Qian. When he is blasted by the Emperor, Lang Tian insists that he saved her. The Emperor, though, is suspicious of his intentions and tells him that he won’t be able to defeat him. Then Lang Tian presents him with the yuan pellet he took from Xuan Zi and pledges allegiance to the Emperor. Despite the Sixth Prince’s warnings, the Emperor names Lang Tian as Mu Qian Qian’s replacement and tells him to go to the Demon Domain to find his body and prove himself. The Sixth Prince is confused and asks if they are no longer seeking revenge for Mu Qian Qian. The Emperor says that whomever is capable can be the Sky Prince (Mu Qian Qian’s former title) and whomever is incompetent can die. When the Emperor leaves, Lang Tian silently vows to kill him.
Xiao Yan flies Lin Dong and Lin Diao to the Demon Domain, a huge volcanic island. Suddenly the volcano erupts, shooting out fireballs at them. They dodge until one hits them.
Qing Zhu is in the waterfall again. She struggles to get up, but can’t. Then her mother appears and heals her. When she wakes up, her mother tells her that she is at the Luck Creation Rank. Qing Zhu asks her how she helped her and finds out that her mother has transferred her powers over to her. She finds out that Huan Huan has taken over Dao Sect and split with Lin Dong, but Qing Zhu insists she is over him though her mother knows better. Finally Qing Zhu breaks down and cries as her mother tries to comfort her.
Lin Dong wakes up face down in the desert. He gets up and is all alone. He walks to the top of a large rock to get his bearings and see where to go.
Qing Zhu reports to the Palace Mistress who informs her that the talisman their sect used to protect, until it was stolen, has now been located. Qing Zhu asks who stole it, but instead is told that the entrance to the Demon Domain has reopened and that the Fire Talisman is there, advising her to prepare to go get it. Qing Zhu remembers the map that she and Lin Dong found with evidence that perhaps her father had not turned evil as suspected. She asks the Palace Mistress if she really trusts her to go, but she says that she believes Qing Zhu will be able to focus on her mission. When Qing Zhu asks about Lin Dong, her master has no news of him and warns that she must hurry as she is certain there are Yimo spies in their sect who will surely find out about the Talisman.
Ling Su Su pulls out a lock of hair from her missing husband and talks to it about Qing Zhu as the Palace Mistress listens from outside. She goes in and tells her that Qing Zhu has left to get the Talisman which angers Qing Zhu’s mother. She demands that Qing Zhu be brought back, certain that the Palace Mistress is trying to punish her and denying again that her husband stole it, but Shen Qing assures her that, as the Talisman Envoy, Qing Zhu is the best choice to get it. Lin Su Su isn’t satisfied and blasts the Palace Mistress with her powers, angry she is sending her daughter to kill her own father. Shen Qing tells her that Qing Zhu has no idea her father was the thief and then tells her that she has only been hard on her daughter because she saw that she was like her mother and had a lot of potential, and she encourages her to trust her daughter.
Qing Zhu, now in a new spiffy “demon fighting” outfit, is wandering through the desert towards the Demon Domain. Also in the desert, Xiao Yan and Lin Diao are trying to find Lin Dong. Xiao Yan is too tired to go on and tells Lin Diao to go without him, but he refuses to leave his friend behind. Lin Diao suddenly sees his hometown and tries to get Xiao Yan to go with him, but the Tiger thinks he wants to give up on finding Lin Dong. Lin Diao insists that is not the case and that they can go get reinforcements to help them, but Xiao Yan won’t listen.
Lin Dong wanders around the grounds of the Dark Palace when he hears a group of guards come out and hides from them. Their leader commands that they guard carefully to keep outsiders from entering their island and interrupting the succession ceremony. She sends the guards up ahead and Lin Dong, thinking it’s safe now, comes out from his hiding spot only to find guards waiting for him. As their header demands to know what he’s doing there, he realises it’s Qing Tan.
Lin Dong and his sister catch up on what has happened since they last saw each other and he hears that she will become the Palace Leader soon. He is amazed at how quickly she’s gone up the ranks, even beyond Huan Huan and Qing Zhu. Qing Tan asks about Huan Huan, but he doesn’t tell her, instead vowing to find the other talismans to help keep her from having to become the Ice Master. Qing Zhu then asks about Lang Tian and he feigns ignorance, but she can tell he is holding back. He tells her about Mu Qian Qian, but not about Lang Tian being an Yimo. Qing Tan tells him that outsides are not allowed at the succession ceremony and tells him not to wander about, promising to help him find the talismans afterwards.
Huan Huan struggles with her cultivation as Lin Dong is thinking about her.
Qing Tan is trying to get the Dark Talisman to acknowledge her, but gets blasted away as a man, Chen Lang, watches her. As she tries again, Bo Xuan confronts Chen Lang for spying on Qing Tan. He follows her, presenting her with a gift, but she says that she will leave it for the new Palace Leader. Not trusting his intentions, she asks him what he thinks of Qing Tan becoming the new Palace Leader. He tells her that there are rumours that Qing Tan doesn’t have any Dark Tribe blood in her and that because she is still so weak, it may be hard to convince others. He suggests an assistant to help her in her duties and Bo Xuan is pretty certain he wants to suggest his son, Chen Feng. She questions his son’s ability so he tries to get her to delay the succession, but she instead uses her power to start choking him, making him drop the gift. When she lets him go, he gathers up the container and leaves to prepare for the ceremony.
Chen Feng runs into his father to ask how it went, getting angry that his father isn’t being made the Palace Leader after managing things for so long and that some nobody Bo Xuan found will get the position instead. He asks why his father even brought her a gift, but he makes it clear that the gift he gave is something she can’t refuse.
Bo Xuan confronts Qing Tan to find out what is upsetting her that she is struggling with the Talisman. Qing Tan knows she’s not supposed to show any weakness and is trying to do better. Bo Xuan has her try one more time, but Qing Tan doesn’t understand why she wants her to take over now and why she’s told everyone that she’s reached Nirvana Rank when she hasn’t yet. But Bo Xuan won’t tell her why and tells her just to follow orders. Qing Tan refuses to go on, so Bo Xuan tells her she lied about the rank to keep Chen Lang from challenging her.
Lin Dong peers out the door at the guards, wondering why everyone is on edge for what should be a happy occasion. Qing Tan comes in, warning him again not to go roaming around. He asks her if there is trouble in the Dark Palace, but she tells him nothing is wrong and goes to get him some food. Ignoring her order, he tries to leave the room, but runs into Bo Xuan.
Outside, he tells Bo Xuan that he can’t just leave without a word, but she tells him that he’s getting in the way and then uses her powers to keep him from going anywhere. Lang Tian asks what it is that she wants Qing Tan to do, offering to do it in her place, but she tells him that even the original Talisman Master could not take on the burden. When he asks her if he could do it if he became Fu Zu, she points out that he is not nearly as far along as Fu Zu was at his age and that even Fu Zu had to sacrifice his life and the lives of the other talisman masters to seal the Yimo Emperor. Pointing out that so far he has had to rely on others to help him cultivate instead of doing it on his own, she tells him that he’s burdened by love and can’t advance. She plans on ending everything once Qing Tan becomes Palace Leader and leaves as Lin Dong demands to know who she really is.
Back at the Dark Palace, Qing Tan begs Bo Xuan not to hurt her brother. Bo Xuan tells her that he is not hurt and that they will discuss it after the ceremony. Bo Xuan returns to her room to have some wine. Qing Tan watches as Bo Xuan drinks to her own master and senior. She hears that Bo Xuan’s power has been fading for a while now and she’s barely been holding on. Bo Xuan gets angry about Lin Dong even suggesting he could become like her Master, Fu Zu and decides to kill the Yimo Emperor herself now that she has found a successor. Qing Tan closes the doors and leaves. As Bo Xuan passes out, Chen Lang’s gift, a little flying insect, enters her ear.
Xiao Yan and Lin Diao continue to wander the desert, looking for Lin Dong.
The succession ceremony begins and Bo Xuan, followed by Qing Tan, appear in the main courtyard to a crowd from various sects and villages. Lin Dong hears them calling greetings to the Leader. Chen Lang and Chen Feng bow, acknowledging the new Palace Leader. Chen Lang gives the instructions for the ceremony as Lin Dong tries to escape the spell Bo Xuan has imprisoned him with. The old and new leaders have to bow to the ancestral monument and then exchange the Dark Talisman for the Dark Sickle. When Bo Xuan says she will hand the Talisman to Qing Tan, Chen Lang tells her that she needs to transfer the Dark Sickle in front of everyone as per the ancestral rules.
Bo Xuan opens the ancestral monument and then she and Qing Tan enter it. Inside is the Dark Sickle glowing purple on a platform. Bo Xuan informs her that the sickle was created to defeat the Yimo and that it exists within the Dark Talisman that Qing Tan will be able to access once she passes the Dark Talisman over to her. Bo Xuan gives her instructions for how the Talisman works as they start to transfer the sickle, but something goes wrong. Realising that Chen Lang has messed with it, Bo Xuan tries to get Qing Tan to get out, but Qing Tan refuses and continues to help her, until they both get blasted back.
Qing Tan pulls Bo Xuan out of the monument, asking for help to save her master, but Chen Lang just laughs instead and then accuses Qing Tan of being a traitor. It turns out he had sent a letter to all of the tribe leaders accusing Qing Tan of not being a member of the Dark Clan and that she would try to attack the Palace Leader. He calls to the ancestral spirits to give him the power of the sickle spirit to deal with the traitor. When he blasts her, they realise that she hasn’t reached Nirvana Rank after all and try to attack her, but she is able to release her ice poison and push them back. As she screams, Lin Dong hears it just as the spell binding him is broken.
Chen Lang asks Qing Tan if she regrets sending the guards away to keep people from entering the island. She vows to kill anyone who harms her Master. He tells her that she can become Palace Leader if she marries his son. But Qing Tan despises him, certain he had no plan for Bo Xuan to come back alive. She tells him she’d rather die than agree to his plan. Chen Feng starts to approach her, but then the Fierce Sky Halberd comes out of the sky and lands between them, pushing everyone back.
Qing Tan turns to see her brother appear and he tells her to stop crying when she starts to get emotional. Bo Xuan who has regained consciousness, is surprised to see him there. Chen Lang warns him that he is an outsider and shouldn’t interfere, but Lin Dong says that it’s a family matter since Qing Tan is his sister and he is trying to force his son on her. Bo Xuan tells Lin Dong that they won’t accept Qing Tan as the Palace Leader without the Dark Sickle. Lin Dong asks if she can hold on for six hours and she agrees. As he enters the monument with Qing Tan, Chen Feng and Chen Lang send people to attack, but Bo Xuan faces off against them.
Inside, Qing Tan worries that she is not a true member of the Dark Clan and won’t be able to get the Sickle to recognize her, but Lin Dong assures her that Bo Xuan could not be wrong and that it must have been tampered with. Stepping forward, Qing Tan again tries to retrieve the Sickle. When it blasts her, Lin Dong uses his Halberd to protect them. He realises that Bo Xuan was poisoned and then the Sickle was used to activate the poison to frame Qing Tan. She tells him that the Talisman has still not acknowledged her so he tells her to try again now.
Outside the monument, someone recognizes the Chen family curse seal on the monument and they realise Chen Lang and his son have been up to no good. Chen Lang insists that they are being set up and tries to get everyone to attack the Palace Leader as the two of them turn on Bo Xuan.
Qing Tan hears Bo Xuan’s voice in her head, urging her to have confidence and destroy her fear. She tries again and this time the Sickle flies out and almost impales her brother. Desperate to save her brother and to no longer have to depend on him, she uses all her courage and power and is finally able to get the Talisman to acknowledge her. Chen father and son are still attacking Bo Xuan and knock her down, but then Chen Feng is suddenly blasted back. Qing Tan emerges with the Dark Sickle in hand as proof that she is the new Palace Leader and condemning those who helped the Chen family. They insist they were deceived and beg for mercy. Qing Tan tells them that each tribe leader must send a son to the Dark Palace as a hostage and never to attempt to be disloyal again. Chen Lang says he will not give the antidote for the poison unless he and his son can leave, but Lin Dong easily heals Bo Xuan, ruining their backup plan. Chen Lang kneels before Qing Tan, asking her to spare his life and to exile him and his son. She tells him to get up, then tosses him against the monument, using the sickle to nail him there. Then she takes a dagger and stabs him over and over for his crimes, much to Lin Dong’s shock. Chen Feng passes out at the sight of his dead father as Qing Tan orders that the entire Chen Tribe be exiled and warns anyone else who dares to rebel. Everyone kneels in fear.
Later Lin Dong visits his sister in the throne room. She is back to her timid self. She asks Lin Dong if he thinks she is too cruel, but he tells her that he understands that it wasn’t her real intention. But she corrects him, telling him that it was what she intended. Lin Dong wonders who taught her to be this way and she asks him if he wants to know if she learned it from Lang Tian.
Lin Dong tells Qing Tan that he understands that what happened at the ceremony wasn’t her real intention. But she corrects him, telling him that it was what she intended. Lin Dong wonders who taught her to be this way. She asks him if he wants to know if she learned it from Lang Tian and says that he was not wrong and that you have to become strong or others will just use you. Lin Dong insists that what she is doing is not being strong, but being vicious and ruthless. She doesn’t mind though because it works. She knows Lin Dong doesn’t want her to be this way, but she’s fine with it.
Lin Diao and Xiao Yan are eagerly eating the food and drink brought to them by Hao Jiu You (aka Old Jiu), an elder of the Sky Marten Tribe. Lin Diao introduces him to Xiao Yan as someone he used to use as a scapegoat when he caused trouble and who helped him run away from home. When Old Jiu suggests they return home, Lin Diao instead asks that he just give them a place to hide and give them food and some people to help them search for Lin Dong. But then he realises that Old Jiu has already told his dad that he has returned. It turns out Lin Diao’s dad is the Old Marten King which makes him a Prince. Lin Diao freaks out and tells Xiao Yan they need to leave.
Lin Dong lays his sister on the throne to treat her, but Bo Xuan tells him there’s no need as she has increased her cultivation due to what she did at the ceremony to subdue the Sickle. He thanks her for saving and training Qing Tan, but he is angry that his sister is becoming another Lang Tian when he thought she was just going to be protected and kept safe. He wants to know what she is up to.
Bo Xuan shows him research she’s done on the Yimo. While human’s power comes from their yuan pellet, the Yimo’s power comes from their fallen spirit. However Bo Xuan has found the way to completely destroy the Yimo Emperor’s fallen spirit. Surprised by her research, Lin Dong asks who she really is and she reveals that she is the Master of Darkness, one of the eight ancient masters and the only surviving one. Fu Zu was able to save only her life thanks to the Dark Talisman’s ability to stop time. All this time she has been work on an enchantment to destroy the Yimo Emperor. Lin Dong realises she hurried up Qing Tan’s succession because the Talisman could no longer support her. She tells him that she planned to find the Emperor’s body and die with it. Suddenly she begins to struggle.
Lin Diao is being dragged in a big net to see his father as Xiao Yan follows him. His father laughs at him, reminding him that when he left, he told his dad that if he ever returned, to turn him upside down and beat him. We find out that Lin Diao ran away on his wedding day when he was supposed to marry the Princess Royal of the Nine-tail Fox Tribe. Lin Diao says he never agreed to the wedding, but his father tells him the marriage was predestined by Fu Zu. When Lin Diao insists that he’s a talisman master and that his master is the successor to Fu Zu, his father doesn’t believe him. Lin Diao then pulls out the talisman as proof, surprising his father.
Lin Dong asks Bo Xuan about Fu Zu. She tells him he’s not even worthy of her master, but admits that when he saved her and Qing Tan, there was a little glimmer of him and that he isn’t as useless as he though. He tries to talk her out of her suicide mission to stay and help Qing Tan. As he leaves, he tells Bo Xuan to tell his sister that he’s off to the Demon Domain and will be waiting to fight with the Leader of the Dark Palace.
Lin Dong wanders through the desert towards the Demon Domain to find his friends as Lin Diao, now out of his net, threatens to strike anyone who comes near. But his father is not scared of him while Xiao Yan tries to get him to calm down. But Lin Diao is still angry with how strick his father was with him as he was growing up. As he lets out another lightning bolt, his father is able to bind him with his own powers, causing him to drop the talisman. He calls for Xiao Yan to help him as he doesn’t want to get married. Xiao Yan starts fighting with the others and then runs away. The King doesn’t care about him though, just about getting his son married off. The King then steps away to check out the talisman that Old Jiu hands to him and sees that it’s real. Worried that what he said may be true, the King sends his men to find Lin Dong. When he realises Lin Diao has been listening in, he then goes on to order an invitation to be sent to the Nine-tail Fox Tribe and a wedding banquet organized. Old Jiu asks if they should go find the Tiger since the area is dangerous, but the King is not concerned about his safety. As he leaves, Lin Diao again asks Old Jiu to let him go, but the men carry him off instead.
A group of people are wandering through the desert as Lin Dong continues on his journey, trying to figure out where the Sky Martin Tribe might be. He sees the group of people, all women, and hides from them, trying to figure out who they are. He follows behind them.
A group of men wearing wolf heads from the White Wolf Tribe are tormenting some little kids from the Squirrel Tribe when Xiao Yan appears and helps the little kids. The Wolf tribe try to attack him, but he easily defeats them and the kids give him nuts from their tribe as a thank you.
The women arrive at their camp. One of them, Xin Qing, is reading when another woman gives her some water. But she is too enthralled reading about other places outside of the Demon Domain and what they are like. The other woman reminds her she was told not to read about other places outside the Demon Domain. It turns out these women are from the Nine-tail Fox Tribe and headed to the wedding banquet and she’s the Princess that Lin Diao is meant to marry. (Gee, how easy is it to guess what’s going to happen here?) Xin Qing decides to go for a walk. She is warned that the White Wolf Tribe is around as well as a bandit named Yan Jiang, but she isn’t scared.
As Auntie Xin, the elder of the group, calls out instructions to everyone in camp, another member of the tribe, Ling Shan, Xin Qing’s sister, is hiding behind a rock and eating snacks. Suddenly the members of the Squirrel Tribe arrive selling nuts. Ling Shan runs out, asking to buy some nuts while Auntie Xin warns her against eating too many and drinking up all their water. (How much you want to guess Ling Shan is going to end up with Xiao Yan?)
Auntie Xin later catches Ling Shan stealing more water and makes her turn over the water as well as her personal container of water. She punishes her with no water for the day, warning her that if she drinks too much, others will go without. But Xin Qing appears, taking responsibility for not teaching Ling Shan well and asking to be punished on her behalf. Auntie Xin warns Ling Shan that once Xin Qing is married off, there will be no one to stand up for her.
After Auntie Xin leaves, Ling Shan wonders why Xin Qing agreed to get married and she tells her she has plans for her future. Ling Shan knows she wants to leave the Demon Domain and vows to help her do so. Xin Qing reminds her that she is a princess and needs to act like one.
Lin Dong is resting in the desert when Ling Shan trips over him. She asks who he is and he apologizes. When he sees that she has water, he asks for some to drink, but she refuses, saying it’s for her sister who is going to be married into the Sky Marten Tribe. Recognizing Lin Diao’s tribe, he asks her where the Sky Marten Tribe is, but she refuses to tell him. She tells him her name when he asks, but when she asks his name, he will only tell her if she gives him some water. Hesitantly she hands it over, but then when she asks for his name again, he refuses until she tells him where the Sky Marten Tribe is. She tries to get the water back, but he easily dodges her.
Suddenly there is the call of wolves. The White Wolf Tribe is attacking the Nine-tail Fox Tribe. Xin Qing and Auntie Xin argue about who will stay to protect the tribe and who will go find Ling Shan until Xin Qing runs forward to fight the wolves. She emits a call that makes them fall to their knees as they grab their heads in pain.
At the Dark Palace, Bo Xuan finds Qing Tan sitting by the monument. She tells her that Lin Dong left for the Demon Domain and Qing Tan worries he is mad at her for turning out like Lang Tian. Bo Xuan apologises for rushing her and pressuring her too much, but Qing Tan tells her that she didn’t want to have to keep depending on her brother. Bo Xuan gives her Lin Dong’s message. Happy that her brother doesn’t hate her and that her master doesn’t hate her brother quite so much, she asks if her brother is like Fu Zu. Then she asks if she can go help her brother. Bo Xuan says that she no longer needs to ask now that she is the Palace Leader and has been acknowledged by the talisman. She also warns Qing Tan not to be the person who gets left behind and to fight with her companions until the end. (Oh, I hope that is not some foreshadowing…)
There is a sound of fighting as Lin Dong beats up the White Wolf Tribe members and Ling Shan watches. She later relates the story to Auntie Xin and Xin Qing. Auntie Xin offers to prepare him food and water to take on his journey, but Ling Shan says they should have him travel with them instead. Auntie Xin decides to let him join their group and to have the Sky Marten King help him find his friends.
That night Ling Shan brings a large batch of firewood as Lin Dong has a drink. Ling Shan asks him about the world outside and how they never knew about the world outside until recently. The marriage of the Princess from their tribe into the Sky Marten Tribe was a rule set up by Fu Zu, but since the Princess found a book about the outside world, she and her sister have been wanting to go there. Lin Dong decides to tell her about his hometown and the Talisman Guild, but then suddenly starts to pass out and sees others passing out as well. Ling Shan is surprised to see everyone out of it and calls for her sister and Auntie Xin. It turns out Xin Qing put something in the water and that she also has part of a talisman. Ling Shan asks what she is doing as her sister searches Lin Dong’s body. She asks her sister to get her piece of the talisman and joins the pieces together, using them on Lin Dong’s hand to get his Devour Talisman. Xin Qing is certain he is up to no good thought Ling Shan thinks he can help them. Xin Qing tells her she has now figured out a way to help herself where she won’t have to get married or run away. She grabs her sister to leave with her, but Ling Shan wants to know where they are going.
I have to admit that I did like the bit where Bo Xuan calls out Lin Dong for being such a Mary Sue character. It is so true that even now that he’s stopped doing the stuff that annoyed me in Season 1, it’s still others who pretty much help him accomplish everything. I’m not sure if they are trying to make the moral of the story to be about the importance of having others to lean on or about the importance of being an asshole if you are going to make it in life. I feel like it could go either way.
In the meantime, here are some clips for what’s to come:
Lin Dong finds the Life-Death Talisman and Yimo are in the Demon Domain
Lang Tian attacks the Sky Marten Tribe
Qing Zhu sees someone from her past, Lang Tian gets extra creepy on Qing Zhu
Qing Zhu finally gets her family reunion, more of the past is revealed
Lang Tian tossing people off ledges
One thought on “Martial Universe – Season 2: Episodes 43-47 Recap”
Lol the a-hole comment…kinda true though I rather he not be one.
Thanks for the recaps!
I am confused just reading about the new characters…